Apparatus for forming cord sheet material



Oct. 2, 1928.

J. w. CLARK APPARATUS FOR FORMING CORD SHEET MATERIAL l a e NAWW m a w W m m u a V n n m A/ "N mm w fi fl 3 3 3 k, 2 k mm I WM v h n r: m x b. w w w m K #2 %4 1 V W F 4 7/ r.\ W\ r .3 NM Q m LA i M a i ow Oct. 2, 1928. 1,686,436

J. w. CLARK APPARATUS FOR FORMING CORD SHEET MATERIAL Filed March 12, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 2,1928.

- UNITED sr Ares teams a T QF P E JOHN w. CLARK, or PROVIDENCE, nnonn ISLAND.

PPARAT S roe FORMING com) snnnr ATE IAL.

Application filed March 12, 1923. Serial No. 624,479.

This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for forming a cord sheet materialparticularly adapted forusc in the manufacture of cord tires forautomo- 5 bi-les and the like, and is an improvement upon the structure shown in my copending application Serial No. 605L328 filed Dec. l,

.T he main objects of the invention relate to the improvement of themethod and apparatus generally and more particularly to providing an improved tensionequalizing means as well as a novel form of guiding o-r spacing.

means which are designed to simplify the ap- 15 paratusgenerally and render, the-process capable of more efficient operation.

As stated in my prior application above referred to, it is necessary in forming rubber ized sheet material that the cords-which are,

20 incorporated therein be free or substantially free' from moisture, and in order to conserve space and effect the complete drying of .the cords before they are incorporated in the sheet materiall finditadvisable-to Wind the cords upon beams instead of taking the cords from creels as hasbeen the practice-in some cases heretofore. It is alsofldesirable that the cords be spaced uniformly fro-m each other when incorporated into the sheet material andv that set forth, I propose to first wind the cord upon the conventional form of beam snch is wel'l'known in the weaving art, and as a I preliminary step to the forming of the sheet material, pass-the cords from the beam over conventional drying rollsto a second beam upon which they are wound preparatory to j the formation of the material.

from the second beam, upon which they are wound after coming from the drying rolls, as over members shaped to lnsureproper pos tioningof the cords relative to each other as all of, the cords be under substantially uni-' 1 form tension as the rubber is applied thereto, In order toaccomplish the objects above By making- 1 the drying of the cords preparatory to the feed adjacent cords on opposite sides of one or more tensio-nequ ahz ng devices to sepapart uniform tension thereto. l/Vhile the degree of tension upon the cord ends maybe varied both by varying the degree of pull requ'ired in withdrawing the cords from the beam as well as by increasing or decreasing the number of tension equalizing devices employed I regardit as advisable in general to 'more paiticularly desirous of maintaining a substai'itially uniform tension on-theseveral,

cords subject only to the necessary progressive variation of tension between the cord.

Well as to slightly; increase the tension on the .i centrally placed cords, and then progressively employ a moderate degree oftensiomand am ."fiu I rate ad acent cords from each other and imends atthe central portion and those located stantially equally tensioned are preferablypassed over a positioning orequalizing roll, the surfacev of which. may be roughened, to

effect a preliminary positioningof the cords- V j 8" they should occupy in thecompleted fabric "in approximately the relative positions which and to overcome anylundue slackness which may occur in individual cords; When the surface of'the positioning roll is. roughened.

as sta'teda more, eflicient equalizing of the tension is effected and a more positive, positioning actio-nre'sults. 'From the .p ositio-nlng roll the cord; ends are fedto the calender rolls for.

forcing or frictioning unvulcanized rubber nto the surfaces thereof, but the cords are hrst contacted. with a spacing orguiding opposite-side's of a stationary member which .is provided with a: plurality of-grooves lo--' cated upon opposite sides thereof, the grooves upon one sideof the. spacingine-mber being olf-set from the grooves onthe op-posite sides" thereof in a direction longitudinally ofthe sp a cing member to an 'eXt-entequal to one-halfthe desired horizontal distance separating alat the edges thereof; The cord ends thus sub memberby passing adjacent cord ends on :1

ternate cords of the sheet material. The cords as they engage the grooves on opposite sides of the 's Jacing, member are thus displaced vertically above and below the normal plane of their travel and are positively spaced an equal distance from each other just prior to pass ing between the calender rolls. Thus there is insuredaproper laying of thecord ends rela- I tive to each other as they are delivered to the calenderrolls for the frictioning of unvulcanized rubber int-o thesurfaces. of the cords and the interstices therebetween. As the sheet a material emerges from the'calender rolls it may-be wound upon a roll with a strip of muslin or other similar fabric betweenadjacent layers, and,if desired, may be-again.

passed through a calender to friction an additional layer of'unvulcanized rubberupon the side opposite to that receiving the maj or portion of the rubber during its first passage through the calender. V

As an illustrationrof a form ofjapparatus which I may employ in carrying out my iniprovedmethod of forming the sheet maing drawings wherein,

terial attention is directed to the accompany- -Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the apparatus,

Fig. 2 is a view taken along the line 22 Fig. 3 isa view taken along the line 8-3 of 1, a r

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the positioning oi" equalizing roll,

F ig; 5'is a view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 1 and,

Fig. 6 "s a top plan View of a portion of the guiding member showing the position of the cord ends relative to the grooves.

'7 In the form of apparatus illustrated herewith 1 designates a .beam ,of conventional form for supporting a plurality of ends in such a manner as to, permit their progressive withdrawal in'substantially parallel relation to each other and in substantially the same plane as they pass from the beam. Asthe cordends A are drawn fromthe beam 1 they are first passed over a stationary member 2 provided with a curved face 3, the curvature ofwhich is slightly convex'transversely of I the path of travel of the cords as shown in member 4: 'whicli'is provided with a curved somewhat'exaggerated form in Fig. 30f the drawings. 1 After passing over the member 2 the cord ends are passed under a similar face5, the curved surface 5' being so positio'ned as to be engaged by the cord ends as they pass from contact with the member 2 tion of the web.

s As the cord ends pass from the member 4 they are positioned in substantially the saine horizontal plane, and the centrally located cord ends are uncer slightly greater tension than-the cords located at the edges,

the increase in tension from each edge towards the center being gradual by reason of the convexity of the surfaces 3 and 5 of the members 2 and 4:. order to equally tensionthe cord ends, subject to the variation in tension from the center to the edge portions as above noted, and, prevent interference or overriding of adjacent cords the adjacent'cord ends are displaced vertically above and below their normal plane of travel and passed above and below a stationary member 6 with which they frictionally engage as they are drawn forwardly In other. words alternate cord ends are displaced upwardly to pass over the member 1 6 While the remaining cord ends are displaced downwardly to pass below the member 6. The degree of displacement of the cord" ends passing abovev the member 6 from their normal path of travel is substantially equal to the degree of displacement of'those passing below the member 6. A plurality'of tensioningmeinber's 6 may be employed and the number may be varied as desired dependent upon the. degree of tension required and the material employed. ;In the'present I instance three of these tensioning devices are shown but t IS to be understood that greater or less number may beemployedas conditions may require or circumstances renf der expedient. I

The cord ends which are passed above the firstinember 6 are preferably passed below the second member, while the cord ends passing below the firstmember Gare passed above the secondmember. This alternate displace ment downwardly and upwardly of each cord end below and above adjacent. 'mem bers 6 is preferably continued throughout the of tensioning members, thus imparting the desired degree oftension to the'c'ord series ends while at the same time equalizing such tension and insuring that the severalcord ends occupy their proper positions relativeito the remaining cords to prevent a portion of 'a'ny cord from becoming in any way'entan led with or overlying the cord next-adjacent thereto. I" 1 It'will'be noted in connection with the contacting of the several cord" ends 'wit'lrthe tensioning devices 6. that each cord end con tacts with each equalizing device through substantially the same extent of its travel 7 as every other cord end whereby the degree'of frictional resistance encountered byjthe. sev-' eral cord ends is substantially the same to effect an equalization of the tension thereon.

From the tensioningv members above'de scribed the cord ends are passed beneath a guide roll 9, overs position ng or tension equalizing roll 10, and below a guide'roll 11, all of which rolls may be rotatably supported by suitable bearings in frame members 12, which in the present instance are-two innumber located at opposite ends of and serve as supports for the beam 1 as well as the var rious elements traversed by the cord ends for supporting the beam and said ,GlGlIlGIitSlH proper position for guiding the cord ends-as they pass from the beam to the calender rolls.

1 and the rolls 9, 10 and 11, as well as means forlixedly supporting'the opposite ends of" the members 6 and 15. The members 12 may each be provided with suitable openings for givingaccessto'the various elements sup ported thereby as" is w'ellknownin frames of this character-. The positioning rolllO. preferablyprovided with a roughened surface which may be applied or formed in any desired manner such as, for example, by

giving the same a surfacing of sandpaper, whereby the roll exerts a'slignt gripping ac tionfupon the cords passed thereover and tends tohold them against slippage thus insuring ness which may develop in any one or more a substantially equal speed of travel on the part of the several cord ends. As the cord ends'are drawnpover the roll 10 the roll is rotated'by the gripping action of the cords on the surfac'eof "the rolhwhich is increased by rougheni'ng the surface'of the roll. The

inertia of the roll tendstocaus'e an equal pull upon each cord between the roll 10 and the calenderand thus compensate for any loosecord ends. The pull'upon thecordends in rotating the roll 10 alsohasa'tendency to prevent any cord from overridii'i'g the adja cent= cordfii-After passingbeneaththe roll v p pass below the member 16 wherebythe'cord's 11 alternate cord ends maybepassedbelow and above a me1nber15 similar in all respects to the tensioning membersG and as they pass from conta'ct't herewith' the-cord ends passed above the member 15 me; be displaced down 3 wardly to pass below a'second similar mem 16. The grooves 17 on member 16 are offset from the grooves 18 lona ber15 while those c'ord ends passing below the first member 15 are passed above the sec ondine'mber lfi. T V hile two tensioning inem-. bers 15 are shown as interposed between-the roll 11 and thespacing member 16 it is'tobe understood thata greater or number-oftensioning membersmay be located between the froll 11 and the spacingmember 16,101 that the use] OftllSlOIllllQ, members may be dispensed with altogether if desired.

' From the tensioningmembers 15 alternate cord ends passing beneath the last member 15 are displaced upwardly andpass over a hired spacing member 16 so as to hem grooves 17 formed in the upper face of the member 16 while the cord ends passing above the last tensioning member 15 are passed below the spacing member 1Ga'nd are guided by grooves 18 formed in' the' under face'of the member the-upper face of the gitudinally of the member 16 a distance equal to one-half'of the distance Separating adja'-,

cent grooves 17 and the grooves 17 are spaced contact with the layer of rubber ca'rried-by-t at this point from each other a distance substantially equal to the {distance separatingadjacent grooves 18* from each other. In this way the cord; ends are guided and spaced an equaldistance from each'other as they pass'be'tween the rolls of the calender. From the spacing member 16the cord ends pass directly to a calender 20 which comprises a frame 21, and rolls 22, 23 and 24:. I I

The rolls 22; ported suitable bearingscarried by the 23 and 24 are rotatably Sup,

frame 21 and are positively driven after a manner well-known in the art. Unvulcan-' lzed rubberB is fed between the rolls 22 and 23 as shown 111 the drawings whereby the rubber is drawn between the rolls and forced out tween theseveral cords to hold the. same in 1 proper position relative to each other and form a continuous sheet composed of a plurality of parallel cords held together and substantially covered by unvulcanized rubber. ltwill be seen upon-reference to Fig. 1 of" the drawings that the cords passing over the upper surface of'the guiding member 16 roll 23 slightly in advance'of the cords'whichrolls a small quantity of rubber is forced be tween the adjacent cordsr The cord fabric C,-formed by frictioning rubber into and be tween the parallel cordsypasses aroundthe roll'2 l and is continuously wound upon a, roll 25, a sheet of muslin or other similar mate 'rial D being drawn from the roll 26 and wound between adjacent'laye'rs of the rubberized material. U f desired the rubberized sheet material thus formed may be again passed through a calenderwiththe sides "re- 5 versed to friction a suitable quantity of rubher into that side of the cords which "received the minimum coating of rubber duringthe: i

first passagethrough the rolls; and a thin layer of rubber may be laid upon oneor both sides of the material." 1

The guiding or. spacing'memb'er 1 6'and roll 26 maybe supported by brackets 27; and 28 carried'by the frame members 12, while theroll 25 may be supported by brackets 29 from the calenderframe after the manner shown in the drawings. 1 f

' The beam-1 is preferably supported in bear-. ings carried byfthe frame members 12yand each end of the beam may be provided with also circular shoulder 31to receive a strap 32.

One-end of the strap 32 is anchored as at 33 and the opposite end thereof is secured as at 34toa lever 35 pivoted to the frame at 36 and provided with a sliding weight 37 where'- by the tension-upon the cord ends as they.

are drawn from the beam 1 may be increased ordnnn'nshed as desired by varying'the pos1- tion of the sliding weight upon the lever Although the above described means for imparting tension to the cord ends as they arewith'draxvn fromthe beam has been illusmay be adopted for this purpose, it is tobe' trated as one arrangementof means which understood that various other suitable mech "anisms may be adopted for this purpose as may-be found desirable.

l/Vhile I propose to substantially dry the several cord ends before they are placedupon the beam l for incorporation into a sheet material, the particular form-of apparatus employed for drying the cords is notillustrate'd as any suitable means may be employed for that purpose, such, for exampiean an arrangement of drying rolls similar to that shown in my copending appl cation.

v It will be seen from the above description that the apparatus employed for making the cord sheet, as well as the method for forming the same embodies certain important impro'vements over that shown in my copending application tending to simplify the method of operation and insure a more cer-V 'tainfp'ositioning of the cord ends as well as. more uniform tensioning of the cords.

WVhile' in the specification. and certain of the claims mention is made of the step of frie tioning unvui-can zed rubber into the cord.

ends it is to beunderstood that such eXpres- 1. The method of making rubberized cord.

sheetmaterial for use in the manufacture of cord tires which comprises, progressively withdrawing'a plurality of unwoven cord ends from a holding member, passing said cord ends over a stationary tensioning mem 1 her having a longitudinally convex surface for imparting progressively increased tension to the cord endsfrom the edges towards the center, vertically displacing adjacentcord endsin opposite directions from their normal plane of-travel while guiding the same to msure a properrelative spacing of said cords.

from eachother in a direction transversely of their direction of travel, returning said cords into. a substantially common plane and frictioning unvulcanized rubber into and between said unwoven cords while the saidcords are 1n a substantially common plane.

2. In a method of making rubberized sheet material for use in the manufacture'ofcord tires the-steps which comprise, withdrawing a plurality of cord ends from a supporting means, imparting progressively increased tension to the cord ends from the edges towards the center, vertically displacing the cord ends, alternatel from their normal pane of travelflwhile conin opposite directions tacting said cords with a stationary member 1 V to space each cord end from its adjacent cord,

and forcing unvulca'nized rubber between said unwov'en cords to form a sheet.v a v 3. In an apparatus of the character described, a beam forsupporting a pluralityv of cord ends, a member provided with a convex surface engageable by said cord ends to impart progressively increased tension to said cord ends from the edges towards the center,

a tensioning' member engageable upon opposite sides by said cord endsto increase the. tension upon said cords,-a guldlng-me-mber provided with means located upon opposite sides thereof for engaging the cords and spacing them a substantially uniform distance from each other 111 a dlrectlon transverse to their path of travel, and means, for forcing unvulcanized rubber between and around said cord ends.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a beam for supporting a plurality'of cord ends, tensionmg members each of which 1s engageable upon opposite sides by sald cords after they are drawn from the said beam' to tension the said cords, a tension equalizing; roll, and a guiding member provided with means upon opposite sidesthereof for engag-.-

ing the cords and spacing them a substan tially uniform distance from each other in a direction transverse to their path of travel. a

. 5. In an apparatus of the character described, means forsupporting a plurality of cord ends, means for tensioning said cord ends as they are progressively withdrawn from the supporting means, and a guidlngv member provided-with spaced grooves lo cated upon opposite sides thereof for guiding sald cord ends, the grooves upon one side of said "guiding member being offset with re,

li-i

spect to the grooves upon the opposite side thereof in a direction longitudinally of said gulding member.

6. In an apparatus for forming cord sheet- I material, means for supporting a plurality of cord ends, means for tensioning saidcord ends as they are progressively withdrawn from thesupporting means, a guiding means provided with spaced grooves located upon opposite sides thereof for guiding said cord ends, the grooves upon; one side of said guiding member being offset with respect to the grooves upon the opposite sides thereof in a direction longitudinally of said guiding member, and means for forcing unvulcanized rubber into and around said cords.

7. In an apparatus for forming cord sheet material, means for supporting a plurality of cord ends, stationary means comprising a stationary member provided with a longitudinal convex surface for imparting progressively increased tension to the cord ends from the edges towards the center as theyare Withdrawn from the supporting means, a rotatable member engageable by said cord ends and operable to eliminate undue variations in tension between the various cord ends, means for spacingsaid cord ends a substantially uniform distance from each. other, and means for forcing unvulcanized rubber into and around said cord ends. 7 r

'8. In an apparatus offthe character described, a beam for supporting a plurality of cord ends, means for tensioning said cord ends as they are progressively Withdrawn from the beam, a guiding member provided with spaced grooves located upon opposite sidesthereof for guiding said cord ends, the grooves upon one side of said guiding member being offset withrespect to the grooves Upon the opposite side thereof in a direction longitudinally of said guiding member, andv pressure rolls for drawing said cord ends irom saidfbeam and over sald tensloning means and guiding member.

9; A guiding device for directing a series of unWo'ven cords into contact Witha layer of unvulcanized rubber comprising a member provided withmeans lo'cated 'upon opposite sides thereof for engaging the cords and spacing them a substantially uniform distance from each other in a direction transverse oi thelr path of travel.

10. A guiding-device forv directing a series of unwoven cords into contact W1tha layer of unvulcanized rubber comprising a member provided with spaced grooves'located 'upon o osite sides thereof for en a in alternatef t: b b

cords, the grooves upon one side of said guid- JOHN oLARK,

ing member being offset WlthlQSPQCt'tO the grooves upon theopposite side thereofin a 

